Whether it's because of price
factors or added convenience, more families are deciding to have
their Chinese new year reunion dinners at Hawker centres rather
than in restaurants or at home.
Some hawkers have even brought in
special festive dishes that they are selling especially for the
Chinese new year period.
Some people who have decided to
have reunion meals at hawker centres have cited that it's cheaper
and more flexible than eating at a restaurant while it's more
convenient than having to cook at home.
Usually, restaurants have set
menus and it's difficult to get a large variety of food. Often,
there are also time constraints on how long you can sit and
eat.
For these reasons, some said that
they have decided to hold reunion dinners at hawker centres
instead.
Eating at hawker centres appears
to be a more popular choice this year with some hawkers reporting
that they have already received over 100 orders for Chinese new
year dishes.
However, probably the biggest
factor for the shift to hawker centres is the price.
It is possible to have a large
reunion dinner with the family for as little as a quarter of the
price of going to a restaurant to eat.
More families are turning to alternative venues, besides
restaurants and their homes, to hold their traditional reunion
dinners.
“We also went to the restaurants but then we are expected to
finish our dinner within that timing”, said Mr Teh Siong Koon, a
customer at a hawker centre.
“We don’t feel that type of comfort and relaxing mood, enjoying
our reunion dinner. That’s why this year we’re trying something new
and trying out in the hawker centre.”
Some hawkers Channel NewsAsia spoke to say they are selling
traditional Chinese New Year dishes, such as “yusheng” and “pen
cai”, just for this festive period.
A hawker at Chinatown said he has already received more than 100
orders for reunion dinner meals and New Year dishes.
Customers say having a reunion meal at the hawker centre saves
them the hassle of cooking at home, and not having to stick to a
fixed menu like in a restaurant is another draw.
Price is also another factor.
“The food here has more variety. The elders and the children
have more choice. You don’t actually have to follow the menu from
the restaurant. And prices wise it’s quite a big difference,” said
Mr Richard Lee, another customer at a hawker centre.
“In restaurants, you’ll probably need four, five hundred dollars
for a set menu for 10 persons but here, probably... less than a
hundred. You can actually have some very good food. You’ll have my
favourites — char siew or turtle soup. You don’t have to eat
abalone or shark’s fin.
Recently got this saga say hawkers cannot sell restaurant type
food. 
